Rep. Carol Ammons

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission must award grants to students in financial need whose household income is less than the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and who are enrolled for at least 15 credit hours in a public university. Provides that the Commission shall receive funding for the grants through appropriations, with each grant awarded being in an amount sufficient to pay the cost of attendance at the university in which the student is enrolled for 2 semesters of enrollment within an academic year. Defines "cost of attendance" to mean the tuition and fee, room and board, and book and supply costs related to a student's attendance at a public university.

Amends the Debt Settlement Consumer Protection Act. Adds student loan borrowers to the definition of "consumer". Adds to the definition of "debt settlement provider" any person or entity engaging in, or holding itself out as engaging in, or any person who solicits for or acts on behalf of such person or entity engaging in or holding itself out as engaging in, the business of student loan debt relief services in exchange for any fee or compensation assessed against or charged to a consumer. Excludes institutions of higher education from the definition of "debt settlement provider". Defines other terms. Requires a specified notice and disclosure to student loan borrowers to be included in advertising and marketing communications concerning student loan debt relief services. Requires providers of student loan debt relief services to provide a specified notice and disclosure before a student loan borrower signs a contract. Provides that any fees charged to a student loan borrower in exchange for student loan debt relief shall comply with a provision concerning fees. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that an employee of a law enforcement agency commits misconduct when he or she knowingly fails to turn on an officer-worn body camera or turns off an officer-worn body camera when there is a reasonable opportunity to act in a manner that is consistent with the officer-worn body camera policy of the respective law enforcement agency. Provides that a violation is a Class 3 felony and forfeiture of employment. Defines "officer-worn body camera".

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that an employee of a law enforcement agency commits misconduct when he or she knowingly misrepresents facts describing an incident in a police report or during investigations regarding the law enforcement employee's conduct. Provides that law enforcement employees and prosecutors have an affirmative obligation to report any knowledge of the misrepresentations to the law enforcement employee's supervisor or to whomever necessary for the law enforcement employee to be held accountable. Provides that a violation is a Class 3 felony and forfeiture of employment.

Directs the Illinois Gaming Board to conduct a disparity study on whether minority and women-owned businesses face any barriers that prevent their equitable participation in the business of legalized sports wagering.

Amends the Payday Loan Reform Act. Provides that the finance charge for a payday loan shall not exceed an annual percentage rate of 39%.

Amends the Higher Education Loan Act. Creates the Know Before You Owe Private Education Loan Act. Provides that before a private educational lender makes a private education loan to a student who attends an institution of higher education, the private educational lender must obtain certification from the institution about the student borrower's: (i) enrollment status, (ii) cost of attendance, and (iii) the difference between the cost of attendance and the borrower's estimated financial assistance from all sources. Allows a private educational lender to disburse the funds of a private education loan if the institution of higher education fails to provide the requested certification within 15 business days of the request. Requires the private educational lender to provide notice to the institution that the loan has been disbursed without the certification. Requires a private educational lender to submit annual reports to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and to the Student Loan Ombudsman. Sets forth the requirements that must be included on the loan statement of a private educational loan. Provides that the institution of higher education must inform the student borrower of his or her lending options and whether the student has applied for or exhausted all available sources of federal financial assistance. Effective immediately.

Urges Congress to pass legislation to reduce gender pay inequality.

Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Nurse Practice Act, and the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that the rules adopted by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation concerning continuing education shall require that, on and after January 1, 2022, all continuing education courses for persons licensed under the Acts contain curriculum that includes the understanding of implicit bias in the practice of medicine. Provides that a continuing education course dedicated solely to research or other issues that does not include a direct patient care component is not required to contain curriculum that includes implicit bias in the practice of medicine. Specifies requirements that continuing education courses must satisfy. Effectively immediately.

Recognizes February 12, 2020 as being World Cholangiocarcinoma Day.